Current Events > It is estimated 99 percent of all species that ever lived on Earth are extinct

(+) Yeah! (+)

Since life started 4 billion years ago.

Not that surprising, if you know how evolution works.

Aressar posted...

Not that surprising, if you know how evolution works.

True. Still it puts things in perspective doesn't it? Life and extinction seems to be the norm.

Still it puts things in perspective doesn't it?

no

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I guess it depends on how far along the evolutionary tree they came from, but yeah, basically. Birds are descendants from dinosaurs, but dinosaurs are definitely extinct. You can't say dinosaurs still exist because birds exist.

Aressar posted...

Not that surprising, if you know how evolution works.

How does it work?

Yeah thats what I thought

Forest_Temple posted...

How does it work?

- A species exists.

- A member of that species is born with a mutation or displays slightly different behaviour.

- If that mutation or behaviour is advantageous, it can increase the chances of survival for that specific species member.

- If that species member procreates, it passes on the mutation or behavioural trait to its offspring. There are now two different types of the same species.

- Eventually, the habitat the species finds itself in may change due to various circumstances, like food scarcity or environmental changes.

- One species type might be better suited to survive in the new circumstances, whereas the other might not.

- The latter type has a lower chance of survival and eventually dies out, whereas the surviving type thrives.

- Repeat this kind of process for hundreds of millions of years, and there you have evolution.

Aressar posted...

- A species exists.

- A member with that species is born with a mutation or displays slightly different behaviour.

- If that mutation or behaviour is advantageous, it can increase the chances of survival for that specific species member.

- If that species member procreates, it passes on the mutation behavioural trait to its offspring. There are now two different types of the same species.

- Eventually, the habitat the species finds itself in may change due to various circumstances, like food scarcity or environmental changes.

- One species type might be better suited to survive in the new circumstances, whereas the other might not.

- The latter type has a lower chance of survival and eventually dies out, whereas the surviving type thrives.

- Repeat this kind of process for hundreds of millions of years, and there you have evolution.

Thank you

You can't say dinosaurs still exist because birds exist.

I say that all the time.

thanks Obama.

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They're not dinosaurs dinosaurs though. They're a completely different species. The T-rex and stegosaurus are indeed extinct. The theropods that the birds descended from are extinct. They no longer exist. That's the point of this.

Pikachuchupika posted...

You can't say dinosaurs still exist because birds exist.

I beg to differ.

https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/cassowary.htm

Pepys_Monster posted...

I beg to differ.

https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/cassowary.htm

Ok that's pretty cool. I was lead to believe that dinosaurs no longer exist. We have one right here.